“To say there’s no restrictions really means, ‘Hey, we’d like him to pitch 200 innings,’” said Bob Boone. “But, you’re not gonna say no restrictions like you might have on Steve Carlton, who would throw 320 innings. You’re not gonna do that. There’s always restrictions, but the meaning is, ‘We’re not gonna shut him down after 160 innings.’”

Despite being entirely healthy, Strasburg (15-6, 3.16 ERA), who has compiled a 21-10 record with a 2.94 ERA and 313 strikeouts since debuting with Washington in June 2010, was shutdown by Rizzo in early September following 159 1/3 innings on the hill.

Regardless of any prior afflictions, the youngster, called by Sports Illustrated the “most hyped and closely watched pitching prospect in the history of baseball,” was wrongly forced by Rizzo to sit in the dugout like a clowns pocket and watch the Nationals fold to the St. Louis Cardinals in October’s NLDS.

The asinine Rizzo undoubtedly banged the pooch with Strasburg and handcuffed the franchise during a rare playoff run.

Pampering an athlete is the easiest recipe to causing an injury and Rizzo unwittingly stunted the 24-year-old’s development with unnecessary coddling.